My last rig (a few years ago) was an AMD build. I almost went that route this time but I think it's time I feel the power of Intel. (It's in my laptop but gimme that desktop power!) Listed below is what I was thinking of throwing in this beauty. I know it isn't TOP notch but I think it will get me pretty far.

Games being played won't be anything super. COD, LoL, Skyrim, etc. etc.

THANKS GUYS! So far with recommendations I have changed quite a bit. Almost everything besides the board, burner/player, and RAM! haha. In doing so so far my total is at 1093. So, you guys have saved me almost $300. O.O

EDIT: Looking for a new heatsink now as well. Wanting something with dual fans. Don't really wanna go liquid cooling right now. Suggestions?

Well I went with the 850 in case I wish to upgrade in the future. I could drop it down to a 750 but I'm not sure I would want to go much lower than that. As far as buying a regular HDD and an SSD, why separate?

Unless that upgrade is for another GTX 780 for SLI, you are unlikely to ever need more than 650W for your system. I personally haven't looked too much into the EVGA Super Nova series, but 80+ Gold is definitely good for a PSU if it lives up to the standard. And an SSD and HDD combo is very useful for video editing, and would be quicker than an SSHD, but you should be fine.

If you are only playing Skyrim, LOL etc., which aren't very demanding games, you could save quite a bit of money and get a cheaper GPU - you can run a heavily modded Skyrim at Ultra settings at 1080p at 60fps constant on something like a GTX 760 or AMD R9 270/270x. You can then upgrade if you plan on playing more graphically intense games. Can I ask what resolution you will be playing at?

Another thing - unless you are planning on video editing or playing intense FPS games, you do not require an i7, and would probably get the same performance in games using an i5 4670K (or i5 4690K with Z97 mobo, Haswell Refresh), and save quite a bit of money.

Unless that upgrade is for another GTX 780 for SLI, you are unlikely to ever need more than 650W for your system. I personally haven't looked too much into the EVGA Super Nova series, but 80+ Gold is definitely good for a PSU if it lives up to the standard. And an SSD and HDD combo is very useful for video editing, and would be quicker than an SSHD, but you should be fine.

If you are only playing Skyrim, LOL etc., which aren't very demanding games, you could save quite a bit of money and get a cheaper GPU - you can run a heavily modded Skyrim at Ultra settings at 1080p at 60fps constant on something like a GTX 760 or AMD R9 270/270x. You can then upgrade if you plan on playing more graphically intense games. Can I ask what resolution you will be playing at?

Another thing - unless you are planning on video editing or playing intense FPS games, you do not require an i7, and would probably get the same performance in games using an i5 4670K (or i5 4690K with Z97 mobo, Haswell Refresh), and save quite a bit of money.

Layton

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Thank you for the informative post. The reason I chose these things was for the fact that I was trying to think ahead. I remember when I built my AMD rig that after about a year or so I was thinking "damn, I wish I would have gotten this instead that way I could get _________." At the time I remember buying things that would be good right THEN, not anytime in the future. That includes a cheap board, DDR2 memory, basic video card, etc. haha.

So, I am trying to avoid that now. I understand that technology is ever evolving but I would rather not look at my rig after 6 months and go "Well, crap". The games I mentioned are just the ones I have right now. I would love to get some others that will more than likely be more intense. One being Titanfall of course. I don't plan to do any video editing to answer that question. As far as what resolution, I haven't figured that part out yet. I know I want at least 1080p. Haven't shopped for monitors (or TV's haha) yet. I am gonna stick with the i7 but I will entertain the idea of a different video card...suggestions?

The games I mentioned are just the ones I have right now. I would love to get some others that will more than likely be more intense. One being Titanfall of course. I don't plan to do any video editing to answer that question. As far as what resolution, I haven't figured that part out yet. I know I want at least 1080p. Haven't shopped for monitors (or TV's haha) yet. I am gonna stick with the i7 but I will entertain the idea of a different video card...suggestions?

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The i5 4670K is a great CPU, and will perform extremely similar to the i7, and probably more performance than you'll ever need. But if I can't convince you to not get the i7, I would definitely wait a little bit for the Haswell Refresh CPUs, such as the Devil's Canyon i7 4790K, which should be coming out later this month. Pair this with a good Z97 motherboard and a good CPU cooler (best bang for the buck is the CM Hyper 212), and you'll have a great system. May still be too much power than you really need, even three or more years in the future. Your money, your choice.

In terms of video card suggestions, the GTX 760 would be fine for your current needs if playing at 1080p. If you plan on playing at a higher resolution, you may need to bump up to a GTX 770. My suggestion if you're so concerned for the future is to get a 3GB-4GB GTX 770, and then SLI another GTX 770 when you decide to upgrade to higher resolutions (eg. 1600p) or if you feel like you need more gaming performance. But if you remain at 1080p, the GTX 760 is perfectly fine.

Well I went with the 850 in case I wish to upgrade in the future. I could drop it down to a 750 but I'm not sure I would want to go much lower than that. As far as buying a regular HDD and an SSD, why separate?

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i have a future 8320/R9 290/1x7200rpm(sometime a 10K Vraptor)/1xSSD/2x140mm led/3x120mm led, build and according to my guesstimate : the 650w i will have will be enough but for a CFX i will need a 750w
proof:
CFX

but i will use a more power hungry CPU/GPU than you will ... http://extreme.outervision.com/PSUEngine Never failed me once ... and i also ran a i7-920 + SLI of Asus GTX580 Matrix Platinum on a mere 700W PSU without any issue

All signs point to the next generation of GPU's requiring less power and 750w is more than enough for GTX 760 or 770 in SLI if you go that route. However, I advocate getting the best single GPU you can afford and just selling and replacing it when prudent. Either way, you won't need 850w, save the money. Grab the Seasonic G 550 for a single or the EVGA G2 750 for SLI.

Paying more for 4GB of VRAM is not be a bad move if you're certainly going to add a second card and intend on gaming at greater than 1080, but I would simply buy and then flip a 2GB card when its limitations become an issue. If you can afford it, get a 2GB 770 and stick with a 1080 display, because 1440 will necessitate spending more on two 4GB cards or a 780(Ti)/290(X) right out of the gate.

You would be certifiably insane not to wait for Devil's Canyon.

Whatever you do, lose the bloody combo drive. Separate drives will be faster, cheaper, and probably safer. I also question whether you'll run into motherboard and OS issues with it.

Paying more for 4GB of VRAM is not be a bad move if you're certainly going to add a second card and intend on gaming at greater than 1080, but I would simply buy and then flip a 2GB card when its limitations become an issue. If you can afford it, get a 2GB 770 and stick with a 1080 display, because 1440 will necessitate spending more on two 4GB cards or a 780(Ti)/290(X) right out of the gate..

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well paying more for 4gb is not a bad move ... but paying less too ... my 290 will cost me less than his 760 but i am just kinda lucky with 2nd hands stuffs (never had any problems) and still backed up with 21month warranty
and calculating the PSU need motivated me to pay less for a 650w as it will power the rig with no problems, and resell it later when the need of a 290 CFX will be needed (Aka: when i will switch to a 1440 >.< ) to get the same Integra R2 but in 750W as it will be enough.

Just to confirm what most have said, if you don't intend significant overclocks on the CPU and GPU that rig will not be pulling more than about 400W, save yourself some money and go with a decent 650W, I completely understand that you are looking to ensure that you have good margins but in one way if you are only using 50% of a PSU's output then 50% of it's cost is to some degree wasted, I know things are not always quite as simple as that but it makes a point!

Secondly, and again as some have said, if it's predominantly gaming you will be using the rig for, think about the i5 4670K, it's a great CPU that again could save you decent $$

Lastly, with the savings made from the above, I would get a decent 1TB HDD and possibly a 120GB SSD and/or upgrade the graphics card to a GTX770 or R9 280X but that would depend on the resolution you would be playing, if it's just 1080 then no need really.

Just to confirm what most have said, if you don't intend significant overclocks on the CPU and GPU that rig will not be pulling more than about 400W, save yourself some money and go with a decent 650W, I completely understand that you are looking to ensure that you have good margins but in one way if you are only using 50% of a PSU's output then 50% of it's cost is to some degree wasted, I know things are not always quite as simple as that but it makes a point!

Secondly, and again as some have said, if it's predominantly gaming you will be using the rig for, think about the i5 4670K, it's a great CPU that again could save you decent $$

Lastly, with the savings made from the above, I would get a decent 1TB HDD and possibly a 120GB SSD and/or upgrade the graphics card to a GTX770 or R9 280X but that would depend on the resolution you would be playing, if it's just 1080 then no need really.

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according to the PSU calculator i use even a 650W (80+ Gold good brand etc etc etc) could hold a 760 SLI+ a not so bad CPU OC with his configuration and 120GB SSD+1TB HDD combo is the best out there indeed (i am seeking a deal on a 1tb Velociraptor to replace my 500gb 7200rpm ahah)

now you have 3 confirmation from regular user (woops 4 user i mean) and 1 from a Moderator what could you ask for more and what could you loose

Manufacturers don't want to be liable for the damage that can come from people unaware that some PSUs are crap and they can't handle the load they claim to be able to so they recommend a higher wattage than is necessary. A quality 550 watt PSU is plenty for a single GPU rig. If you think you might SLI in the future then a quality 750 watt PSU is fine for everything except Xfire R9 290x or SLI Titan/ GTX 780Ti. 750 watts is what I get even though I never SLI. It's just insurance in case I do.

That EVGA GTX 760 SC with ACX is a very nice card. If it's not a priority to max every single game at 1080p then it should be a good choice. A GTX 770 in the same flavor would be even better. It's $70 more but in your budget I think it's worth it. If you don't have an issue with selling cards then either should serve you well. Some people like to buy a GPU and stick with it for years. For them I think a 3GB R9 280x would possibly be better. I can't predict the future but if Watch Dogs is any indication of the direction that developers are going in then more than 2GB VRAM may be necessary for max settings in a year or two even at 1080p but by then you would probably be looking at SLI/Crossfire of what you have or upgrading the single GPU for max settings in every game.

The 4670k is a great choice for a gaming rig. It's more than enough for anything out there and can be overclocked a little possibly if you want to. Devil's Canyon would be better if you can wait.

Just one other thing. If you plan to overclock and think you may need a CPU cooler better than the stock cooler then make sure it will clear the heat spreaders on those Ripjaws.

Alright guys, you have convinced me! I will go with the i5, upgrade the video card, swap out the combo drive, and I have already updated the first post with a new PSU. Went with a 650watt Seasonic.

Sounding a little better? I will update the initial post with all the new hardware in a few minutes.

LIST HAS BEEN UPDATED. Any other changes you guys see fit? Changed out the PSU, CPU and hard drive.

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The Seasonic power supplies are among the best, so good choice. I still think its perhaps too much wattage for a single-card setup, but you'll be fine with 650W. I would still be tempted to wait for the Haswell Refresh CPUs, more specifically the i5 4690K, which are coming out later this month hopefully. You'll need to swap to a Z97 board with the Devils Canyon CPUs, but its worth it IMO. I would also recommend getting a CPU cooler for better, quieter performance than the Intel Stock heatsink - something like a CM Hyper 212 series.

bench...mark? i do leave mark on bench sometime, to remember which one is the most comfortable. :o

well as i said above my future rig can be powered by a 650w no sweat, and i use a more power hungrier setup, altho a 8320 isnt a match for a 4670K, i also think its worth to pay more for a Z97 (sorry i meant a Z87 with fancy upgrades since Z87 can presumably support DC with a BIOS update... which is unlikely to happen even as the manufacturers want to sell new cards ofc) and a "+10% over 4670K" 4690K (oh it could be more i know but let's go along with what intel usually give when they refresh a lineup) it's not sarcasm i am serious when i say it's worth it

The Seasonic power supplies are among the best, so good choice. I still think its perhaps too much wattage for a single-card setup, but you'll be fine with 650W.

Layton

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well your XFX 650W too is overboard for your setup Minimum PSU Wattage:386 WRecommended
PSU Wattage: *
and this is with some assumption over the case fan setup so it might even be a bit lower or a bit higher depending on the OC +/-20w on recommended

but you are right as a 4670K(OC@4.5)+760SLI will require around 550w (-/+1w) but if the OP take a 650W he will be able to keep it if he choose to SLI later since 650w is 100w above recommended (and recommended is already above the typical needs)

I know It wasn't much more expensive than the 550W XFX version at the time of buying (due to great sales), and was the best modular option at the time. If I had bought the build now, I would probably go for a 550W. But yes, 650W is overkill for my build, but it'll last a number of builds hopefully.

Hmmmm. Speaking of the DC's from Intel, I have no problem on waiting. I will go with the i5 that you guys have mentioned (4690k) but guesses on the price of it? The 4670k is 239.99....so...what kind of price difference might I see?

And I suppose to answer my own question, it looks like they will be about the same pricing. I would just rather assume for a 5-10% increase though due to demand and what have you. But yeah, I will for sure wait on it!

Hmmmm. Speaking of the DC's from Intel, I have no problem on waiting. I will go with the i5 that you guys have mentioned (4690k) but guesses on the price of it? The 4670k is 239.99....so...what kind of price difference might I see?

And I suppose to answer my own question, it looks like they will be about the same pricing. I would just rather assume for a 5-10% increase though due to demand and what have you. But yeah, I will for sure wait on it!

Everything else in the build...looking good?

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According to Intel, the recommended retail price for the i5 4690K is around $243.00, so not much of a premium. You could probably go for an MSI Gaming Z97 motherboard, however that may have a small premium due to the fact of its recent release, but I'd look around. The MSI Z97-Gaming 3 is about $140. Have you thought about getting a CPU cooler yet? The stock heatsink is okay, but is very noisy under load compared to aftermarket coolers.

The case is perhaps not my choice, as I'm not a big fan of the aesthetics. I would prefer an NZXT or Corsair case perhaps, as they look a little more clean IMO.

Not sure im understanding this forum. So with the consoles of our era using 8 cores each with their own cache etc and dx 12 on its way and most modern multi core using game engines showing a benefit with more cores hows a quad a good tip imho two years time quads will not cut it for many games.

Not sure im understanding this forum. So with the consoles of our era using 8 cores each with their own cache etc and dx 12 on its way and most modern multi core using game engines showing a benefit with more cores hows a quad a good tip imho two years time quads will not cut it for many games.

Id go I7 myself but accept its an opinion

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The games consoles are using AMD-based 8-core CPUs, which do not have nearly the same single-core performance of today's Intel CPUs. Also, the optimisation of the i5 K-processors that Intel does means that it beats any of the 8-core or more AMD CPUs by a fairly large margin. Intel CPUs rule the top end of the CPU market when it comes to retail processors. Thus, a quad-core Intel beats an octo-core AMD.

Currently, there are few games that use more than four cores, and a vast majority of games use two to four cores, and many still being single-core gaming. Its all about the genre of gaming you're into. The strategy genre relies heavily on the single-core performance of a CPU, whereas modern FPS games rely more on multi-core setups, and benefit a lot from the extra threads. Unless you are a heavy, intense FPS player mostly, then an i5 is perfect for a person who plays the other genres of gaming.

Not sure im understanding this forum. So with the consoles of our era using 8 cores each with their own cache etc and dx 12 on its way and most modern multi core using game engines showing a benefit with more cores hows a quad a good tip imho two years time quads will not cut it for many games.

Your opinions differ to mine but I still hold my opinion to be true and current games mean nothing.
Imho despite the fact intels cpus are better you will still need 8 cores in a few years of either type to play some games at decent settings.
And since the Op is interested in future games id argue 8 is better now thats why I hhave eight because this pc is seeing out five years minimum or three more all in.
Again its an opinion dont get too excited.

Also ingame or not pcs always have hundreds of threads running more cores simply do more separate threads at the same time which to me can't be bad.

Your opinions differ to mine but I still hold my opinion to be true and current games mean nothing.
Imho despite the fact intels cpus are better you will still need 8 cores in a few years of either type to play some games at decent settings.
And since the Op is interested in future games id argue 8 is better now thats why I hhave eight because this pc is seeing out five years minimum or three more all in.
Again its an opinion dont get too excited.

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If you can suggest to me an Intel 8-core CPU within the OPs budget, then prove me wrong. Or can you suggest another 8-core processor that performs better than the i5 4690K in multi-core peformance. I agree that at the current rate that games are progressing, there will come a day when we will need 8-core CPUs in order to achieve reliable performance. But at the moment, this kind of future proofing is not an efficient use of money - one can always upgrade in the future, if need be. But the day we need such performance is a long way off IMO, therefore I think the i5 is the best option for the OP at this moment in time.